UA holds its second Polar Plunge

More than two dozen people jumped into balmy, 52-degree water Sunday at the University of Alabama’s outdoor swimming pool Sunday afternoon — by choice.

By Lydia Seabol AvantStaff Writer

More than two dozen people jumped into balmy, 52-degree water Sunday at the University of Alabama’s outdoor swimming pool Sunday afternoon — by choice. “It was invigorating and cold, but it was also a lot of fun,” said Tuscaloosa resident David Scott. “It was a shock, but then you get acclimated.”The chilly swim was part of the 2nd annual Polar Plunge event, sponsored by University Recreation. As part of the event, UA students, faculty and members of the community were invited to take a quick dip in the cold water, said Shane Reeves, coordinator of aquatic programs at the University of Alabama University Recreation Center. “We thought it would be a fun activity for anyone who wanted to come out and participate,” Reeves said.The event, which some took on as a challenge, was inspired by similar events in Russia and parts of Scandinavia, where people often take a plunge in icy waters to celebrate New Year’s Day. It’s hard to gauge what the winter weather will be like in Alabama, but the local event’s planners were hoping for cold weather, Reeves said. “Weather in Alabama is so unpredictable,” Reeves said. On Sunday, it was sunny with a high of 62 degrees, hardly freezing weather.“It’s a nice, balmy temperature today,” said John Meadows, a Tuscaloosa resident who has completed three other “polar plunge” events, all out of state. “The worst I’ve done before is 46 degrees.”To prepare for the cold dip, Meadows recommended that swimmers wear only the basics so that the water can be dried off quickly. “You want to make the swim as short as humanly possible, and get used to the air temperature before you get in,” Meadows said.Still, after Sunday’s polar plunge, some swimmers took a lap around the outdoor pool and several climbed the pool’s tall staircase for a ride down the waterslide. Eight-year-old Cooper Tolbert excitedly ran around the pool wet after he plunged into the cold water. “It’s awesome,” said Tolbert, who participated in the event with his 10-year-old sister. “I’m definitely going to do that again,” he said.